Psoriasis – Role of Water, Teas and Beverages

Artificial Sweeteners

You may use artificial sweeteners, but only in minimal amounts. The ultimate effect artificial products have on the human body is still a controversial subject. Natural sweeteners, however, are now readily available to the consumer. The most popular are Splenda, srevia, fructose, and xylitol, a natural, low-glycemic sugar substitute.

Beverages

Liquid intake, especially pure water, should be of primary interest to the psoriatic. The bathing of the cells, the flushing of the kidneys, the movements throughout the small and large intestines, and the chemical processes of the body are, to a great extent, if not completely, dependent on a healthy, fluid environment. It goes without saying that the type of liquid intake chosen should be relatively free of toxins, pollutants, destructive artificial additives, preservatives, colorings, or any other potentially harmful product. The optimum is to select those liquids that are cleansing and healthful and that enhance, rather than hinder, these vital body processes.

Water

During the preliminary consultation with many of my new psoriasis patients, I am often amazed to find that they rarely, if ever, drink pure water daily. In fact, it is unusual to meet anyone who drinks more than ant’ or two glasses a day. Most people feel that their daily water intake is adequately supplied through the foods they eat or by other liquids such as diet soda, alcohol, beer, coffee; or tea. Obviously, there are many individuals, without chronic skin conditions, whose bodies can apparently handle such an accumulation of toxins .. In cases of psoriasis or eczema, however, such a violation can only aggravate an already overpollured system.

Drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of pure water a day, in addition to all other beverages consumed. As a matter of fact, I have found that patients suffering from psoriasis respond more readily when they make water their only drink (except for the teas), especially in the first few months of the regimen.

Water is not only convenient, inexpensive, and calorie-free, but it can also effectively curb your appetite. Whenever you are hungry, or before a meal, I suggest you drink a glass of water. Because water is tasteless, it can also help curb the desire for sweets and other beverages. As an alternative to plain water, you may add the juice of four or five fresh lemons or limes to a gallon of spring, filtered, or bottled water. The water should then be refrigerated and consumed whenever desired. This will help the body processes in cleansing, lubrication, and alkalinity.  

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Unsweetened fruit juices and vegetable juices are to be consumed as often as possible. If a rash occurs or the skin becomes sensitive due to drinking too much orange or grapefruit juice, drink less or eliminate it. All juices should be either freshly made or, if store-bought, purchased in a glass container or waxed carton. Avoid all canned juices.

A few drops to a quarter cup of lemon or lime juice should be added to a six- to eight-ounce glass of orange juice or grapefruit juice. Pure grape juice and other nutritious juices such as pineapple, pear, papaya, mango, and apricot are also recommended. Combinations of these juices ave also suggested.

Vegetable juices as well as fruit juices are best freshly made in a home juicer. There is one major restriction regarding vegetable juices: avoid tomato juice and all juices that contain tomato. Occasionally adding a packet of Knox unflavored gelatin to a glass of fruit or vegetable juice will help to ensure maximum nutritional absorption.

Always keep in mind that consumlng too much of anyone food item, even if it is on the permitted list, can produce toxicity in the body. For instance, consuming too many carrots or drinking too much carrot juice can produce hypercarorenemia, bringing about pseudojaundice. An overabundance of fruit can raise the triglyceride level of the blood, which can cause a skin reaction. In other words, avoid extremes.

Coffee

The debate over the effects coffee has on the human organism has been going on for more than fifty years. In 1986, scientific data was released to the public that indicated that people who consumed more than three cups of coffee per day were at risk of impairing their calcium absorption as well as developing heart disease. According to a study anyone who drinks five or more cups of coffee a day has more than twice the risk of having heart problems than someone who drinks no coffee at all. This survey was conducted on one thousand men over a twenty-five-year period.

Supplemental Herbal Teas

Other herbal teas may include watermelon seed tea, chamomile, mullein, and decaffeinated green or black tea. Oolong tea has been cited as being very helpful in cases of eczema.

Milk

Generally, milk is hard to digest and can be constipating. It produces a great deal of mucus. Because of this, athletes training in sports where good respiration is essential may benefit by eliminating whole milk from their diet. Milk is not considered to be an acid former; therefore it is included in the diet, but only in the form of skim or low-fat milk and milk in its predigested form, such as low-fat buttermilk and low-fat yogurt. Soy and goat’s milk have been found to be more easily tolerated by patients with eczema.

Carbonated Drinks

Carbonated soft drinks are saturated with sugars, preservatives, artificial flavorings, and colorings. In spite of the fact that regular and diet sodas contain these known detrimental ingredients, they are the most popular beverages consumed by the public. Since purification of the blood is the keynote in the healing of psoriasis, these drinks should be viewed as poison to all psoriatics. As discussed in an earlier chapter, the liver is perhaps the most active filtering gland of the body. It must be in peak condition, without blockages or hindrances of any kind to function properly. The excessive consumption of soda has such a destructive effect on the liver that some authorities feel that even one glass a day is too much.

“Cirrhosis (disease) of the liver may as often affect soft-drink addicts as alcoholics,” He theorizes that the “empty calories” in sugary sodas make people cut down on their consumption of wholesome foods, which produces a protein deficiency resulting in cirrhosis of the liver. The standard treatment for this condition is to place the patient on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet with vitamin supplements and to eliminate all soft drinks.

As a substitute for soft drinks, I recommend drinking an occasional glass of cold naturally carbonated water, such as Perrier, San Pellegrino, Saratoga water, or plain seltzer water (not club soda). These can be served over ice with fresh lemon or lime juice added. Not only is this cleansing to the system, but it is also thirst quenching, delicious, and satisfying. Many of my patients have even found this to be the solution to social drinking.

Alcoholic Beverages

Of the sacrifices that a psoriatic must make, for some the elimination of alcohol is the most difficult, especially if the patient is a “drinker.” If I find early on in my course of treatment that a patient is unwilling to accept the fact that he or she must avoid hard liquor in any form, I have no qualms in advising against further treatment.

In cases of psoriasis and eczema, it is extremely important that alcohol, in all its forms, including beer, be totally eliminated.